Back to Where We Started - A Finchel Fanfiction
by EmmaGleek
Summary: Rachel's plans for NY didn't work out at all as she thought, so now she is back in Lima, Ohio, without friends, and very lost. Until one day when she happens to meet a very missed face. After that meeting, everything change, but it's not for the better... The story is 10 chapters so far, but more will come! ENJOY & STAY TUNED
1. An Unexpected Location

**Chapter 1**

Lima, Ohio year 2014. Rachel woke up when her alarm called. God, she hated that call. It was a tune from Cats. Well, she loved that song. But it was just that she hated the alarm(you know what I mean). She went out of bed and looked through her window. Wow, it was really light and sunny outside. Wait? It shouldn't be that sunny at 6 am. Oh god, no. She looked at the clock with the panic spreading. 10 am. DAMN. She was late for work. REALLY LATE. She took a sandwich with some salad and ran out the door. She hurried into the car and started it. But something was wrong. Very wrong. The car didn't move. It stood still. She went out of the car, and then she saw it. Flat tire. This couldn't be happening. Rachel took her cell and called her work.

"Umm, hi it's me. Rachel! Rachel Berry, yes… I'm so sorry for being late, my alarm didn't wake me up.. Yes, I'm sorry. But I have to fix my tire before work if it's okay. Yeah? Oh, thank you Ms. Porter. Yes I will. Bye!"

Rachel knew what to do next. But it was something that she had been scared to do ever since she broke up with Finn. Yes, SHE broke up with HIM. And why she did that... Well that's a long story so we'll take that later… So Rachel knew that she had to do it. But what would she say? "Hi, it's Rachel. Yes, the one who broke up with your step son and told your other son to go to hell and never talk to her again." Rachel sighed and called the number. Two signals and then a familiar voice answered.

_"__Hummel Tires &amp; Lube, it's Burt."_

Rachel swallowed the fear and said:

"H..H..Hi. Um, it's me… Rachel… Rachel Berry."

Burt was quiet for a second.

_"__Oh, hi Rachel… Long time ago since I heard from you…"_

"Uhm, yeah I know… it's.. I mean, I've got very much to do lately…"

_"__Really?" _

The way he said that word.. It hit Rachel. What could a girl who's stuck in Lima, Ohio forever has to do that is important? Nothing.

"Yeah, you know.. I've been.. uhm.. studying and.. um.. done stuff.."

_"__Yup, I bet it's very crowdy at "Breadstix" around this season, huh_?"

Burt had hit her achilles heel.

"Yeah, pretty much to do there now… So! I have a flat tire and I wonder if you maybe could help me?"

_"__Sure, I'll get you a tow truck."_

"Thanks. B-Bye."

_"__Bye, Rachel!"_

She ended the conversation and then she just stood there in front of her little apartment in Ohio. What happened? God, she was Rachel Barbara Berry with her big dreams. What the hell did she do in Ohio? Well, while we're waiting for the tow truck to arrive, I can tell you the story. Everything was good. She was with Finn, had Kurt as her best friend and they were about to graduate their last year at McKinley. But something went wrong. Kurt got accepted into NYADA. Well, that's great… And Finn got accepted into the acting school in NY. But Rachel… well Ms. Tibideaux never came to see Rachel perform at nationals. And she rejected Rachel every time she tried to get another shot. (Yeah, basically Rachel has been following Ms. Tibideaux everywhere the last year and now Tibideaux sends the police every time she sees Rachel…) So Rachel didn't get into NYADA. But she didn't give up. No, she followed Kurt and Finn to NY and she really tried to get into NYADA or at least get a musician job, but nothing really worked out. After a half year in NYC, Rachel didn't have any money. And everything just made her such a bitch. She was angry all the time, so at the end she just had enough of everything, broke up with Finn, broke up the friendship with Kurt and ran out of the NY apartment. Her money was enough for a flight home to her dads in Ohio, so she did it. She furiously returned to Ohio. And now she was here. She missed Finn and Kurt every single day. But she knew that she never could have lived a life with them in NY if she never succeeded too. So she thought it was for the best. Working at Breadstix and living alone in her apartment. Without friends. Everyone was gone. Well… not everyone. She spended a lot of time with Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury. Sorry, Mrs. Schuester. And also the little one, Daniel F. Schuester. Yes, Will and Emma finally got their little baby. They really knew how to comfort her. They gave her a mug of hot chocolate, a blanket, a dvd of _Funny Girl_ and some tissues and hugs when she started to cry continuously. And now, 2 years since she graduated, she was here. Alone.


	2. Familiar Faces

**Chapter 2**

The truck finally came. It took the car and Rachel jumped in too. Then they arrived to Hummel Tires &amp; Lube. Rachel shuddered when she thought of all the memories she had with Finn here. Burt met them in the garage and he looked at Rachel with his green eyes. Rachel had never thought about how much Kurt reminded of his dad. That hurt even more. Burt and the truck guy rolled off Rachel's car of the trailer.

"So! Rachel! Haven't learned to change tires yet?" Said Burt with a sense of humor in his voice.

"Haha.. uhm.. No unfortunately not Mr. Hummel." Rachel went quiet. Mr Hummel?! She had never called Burt that since at least 2009.

Burt looked at her for a while with a surprised look in his eyes. He had noticed it too. Everything they once had was changed. But they didn't say anything further until they heard a voice. A familiar voice. A voice that gave Rachel chills all over her body. It couldn't be? Not here, in Lima Ohio?!

"Burt! Just saw that you had a customer! Do you need any hel…"

Finn stopped to talk as soon as he saw whom the customer was.

"Finn! No, I'm good." Said Burt and glanced at Rachel &amp; Finn with unsecure eyes.

"Oh.. Um.. Hi." Finn said and laid his eyes on Rachel

"Finn..?" Rachel couldn't believe it.

Finn turned around and said:

"I'll go and get some new tires, Burt."

Rachel couldn't just stand there so she ran after him.

"Finn..! Finn please! FINN STOP!"

Finn finally stopped and slowly turned around to Rachel. He didn't look into her eyes.

"Finn, when did you return from NY?"

"6 months ago."

"6 MONTHS?! WHY HAVEN'T YOU CALLED ME?"

"Rach, you have to understand me. YOU dumped ME. Okay? I was broken. I AM broken."

"Finn… I have missed you everyday since I got back to Ohio."

Finn didn't say anything. So Rachel continued:

"What happened to the acting school?"

"I got kicked out."

"YOU GOT WHAT?!"

"After you left I lost my happiness. I couldn't act at all. I was just… sad and useless. So they kicked me out."

"Oh Finn.. Why didn't you tell m.."

Finn interrupted her and started to scream with tears in his eyes.

"TELL YOU WHAT? TO COME BACK? Rachel, I could see how you suffered when you lived back there in NY with us. I would never be able to get you back again. So now I am back here like some stupid freak living at the parents' house again."

Rachel stared at him. He looked so miserable. She walked to him, and hugged him. God, she had missed that. To just let his chest make her warm. He sobbed a bit and then finally laid his arms around her. Rachel didn't notice for how long they stood there and hugged each other, but then Finn let her go and said:

"No… No Rach, I can't do this again. It all has changed now."

And with those words he left her and went for the tires.


	3. A Day at Work

**Chapter 3**

_It all has changed now. _What in the world did he mean with that? Of course it had changed because they were both back in Ohio, but they have been here before…

"Are you going to take my order or are you waiting for pigs to fly, young lady?" Rachel's customers at Breadstix woke her up from her thoughts.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir, I've had a rough day so far... But you wanted to try the new Nacho menu, right?" The man nodded with a goofy smile and laid his hands on his date's hands over the table. Ugh… Love... That was the last thing Rachel needed to see right now.

She went out in the kitchen and shouted to the chef _"Two nacho menus to table 3!" _She looked at the calendar on the wall in the staff room. March 22. She remembered that day 2 years ago so clear. Finn took her out on a date to Breadstix, and he surprised her with the whole Warblers choir performing the classic song When a Man Loves a Woman. It all was so perfect. Rachel sighed and smiled a little. Her boss, Ms. Porter came into the room and told Rachel to take care of the guests at table 7. Rachel took a deep breath and focused on the fact that her shift ends in just one hour. She walked out to the tables and counted the numbers on them to get to the right one. _1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... Wait, what the hell? _At table seven she saw two persons. Finn and… Wait, Rachel had seen her at McKinley. She was one of the mean Cheerleaders nowadays. Kitty! Kitty Wilde!

"Uhm, wow twice a day… How strange." Rachel said and looked awkwardly at Finn.

"Rachel! Hi, how are you?" Kitty acted weirdly nice. Did she even know who Rachel was?

"Can we order our food please?" Finn was fast in his talking. Like he always was when he felt pressure or anger. It all was so weird that Rachel suddenly heard herself say:

"Are you two on a date or what?"

"We're celebrating our 2 months-day, right honey bear?" Kitty looked at Finn. _HONEY, WHAT? _Rachel started to feel sick.

"Uhh, sure!" Finn looked so uncomfortable now that Rachel almost waited for that chair to be kicked. She could not possibly just stand there and act as nothing.

"I guess you want two waffles with extra vanilla ice cream and raspberries and two big chocolate milkshakes, _right Finn? Because that's what you usually buy your girlfriends on your anniversaries, RIGHT?"_ Rachel started to yell, and suddenly everyone at the restaurant had stopped with their talking and eating, and just stared at Rachel and Finn, but Rachel did not care. All publicity is good publicity, just like in NYC. Finn, on the other hand, didn't like the attention as much, so he just stood up, took Kitty's arm, and barged out of the restaurant. At least he left the chairs alone, Rachel thought.


	4. The Savior

**Chapter 4**

"_I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAVEN'T TOLD ME FINN IS IN TOWN! AND THAT HE IS DATING THAT… SKANK!" _Rachel was furious and heartbroken. Not a good combo. She had went home to the Schuester's as soon as her shift ended.

"We're so sorry, sweetie, we just didn't know how to put it right!" Emma tried to comfort her as good as she could. Meanwhile Will was in the kitchen cooking Rachel some tomato soup.

"_YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN US. IT WAS LIKE A SCENE STRAIGHT FROM A BAD EPISODE OF GOSSIP GIRL. OH GOD, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING." _Rachel was now screaming so loud she even woke up Mrs. And Mr. Schuester's son in the nursery room.

"Oh, honey… Let us sing something? Yes, you love to sing away your pain, right Rachel? We can sing, uhm, "Without You", "Take a Bow", oh or what about "No Air"? Aren't they just perfect songs for this moment?"

_"__EMMA, THAT'S NOT HELPING, REALLY!" _Mr. Schue shouted while he ran to the nursery room.

Three hours later Rachel was calmed down and was finally sleeping on the couch in Schuester's living room.

"I'm sorry, but I really can't see what will get better for her with me being here…"

"Kurt, you are her best friend."

"Mr. Schuester, you don't understand… It's not like at McKinley anymore. Rachel said really mean things to me last time we saw each other."

"So why did you take the first flight to Ohio when I called you?"

"I…"*sigh* "Okay, you're right… I care about her too much, and a Rachel that not even wants to sing her pain away is a Rachel that has some serious problems."

Kurt walked over to the couch and sat down at Rachel's feet. He carefully laid his hand on her shoulder and whispered:

"It's okay. Dr. Phil is here now and is ready to shrink your brain out."

Rachel quickly opened her eyes and turned her head to Kurt.

"Kurt! Oh my god!" She threw herself at him and buried her face in his neck. "I never thought I'd see you again, I'm so so so SO sorry Kurt. For everything! I said so much things…"

"Yes you did. But since I have the most supportive fiancé who is willing to listen to me getting out my anger about that, I have gotten over it. Kind of."

"You really are here! But…" Rachel did a pause. "Did you know about Finn?"

"No actually not… I have been in a long discussion with my father and my stepmother about the fact that they have been hiding news like that for me, and it won't happen again. Trust me."

"I mean… Kitty Wilde?"

"Yes I know… Finn must have gotten one or two tires in his head for this to happen." They both shared a little laugh and then Rachel said:

"What am I supposed to do? I can't stay here. I just… I can't. But I can't go back to New York either. _KURT PLEASE, TAKE CONTROL OVER MY LIFE AND TELL ME WHAT TO DO."_

"I'll take this moment and quote a very good friend of mine, and of Mr. Schue of course." *blink blink*… "_I thought you'd never ask."_


	5. Moving In

**Chapter 5**

"You did _WHAT?" _Rachel's eyes went big as apples in two seconds. Kurt stood outside Rachel's apartment door at 8 AM in the morning, with a piece of paper in his hands.

"KURT, you sold my apartment?!"

"Yesterday you asked me to take control over your life, and I did. You are moving out in a week."

"Oh my god, this can't be happening right now…" Rachel walked into the apartment and sat down at her little kitchen table. The apartment was only one room, but it was comfy and very cute with mostly pink, yellow and white furniture.

"Rachel, I did it for your own sake! You are not supposed to be in Lima, Ohio! And having that apartment only keeps you here. So now you have to get away from here. Wow, I really am smart..."

Even though this all was crazy, Rachel knew that Kurt was right. She had to get away from Ohio. With, or without Finn.

The next four days Rachel and Kurt were very busy wrapping up Rachel's apartment in boxes. Even though it was just one room, it was crowded with furniture, photo frames, clothes, music instruments, and even a little pink stage in the middle of the room. Her dads helped with the carrying down to their cars.

"Honey, I still don't understand where you will live from now on…" her dad Hiram muttered while he tried to get the fluffiest boa he had ever seen, down in a box.

"Dad, you don't get it. This is pure YOLO, right Kurt?"

"Totally!"

"No, absolutely no. You're going to have a place to stay at the end of the day or we will force you to live with us again. End of discussion." Rachel's other dad LeRoy said.

"Rachel will be sleeping in my room until both me and her are heading back to NYC." Kurt suddenly said.

_"__WHAT?!" _Rachel mimed to Kurt

"Oh, well I guess that would be good, if it's okay for Burt and Carol, of course." Hiram said and looked at LeRoy.

"Of course it is! They love Rachel just as much as I do!" Kurt said and happily walked away with the last box of things.

So there she stood. At the porch to which house she had been staying over at so many times. Sometimes she had been up late night talking with her best friend. Other nights she had been cuddling until she had fallen asleep in the arms of her beloved boyfriend. And now she stood here again. This time more afraid to knock on the door than ever. There was still time to walk away and go to live with her parents. But no, she was going to do this. And when she had been earning enough money at Breadstix, she would fly home to NYC, live together with Blaine and Kurt, and then work her way up to the top. Broadway.

Oh, and by the way, after Rachel moved out of the NY apartment, Blaine moved in after his graduation from McKinley, and is now also in NYADA, happily engaged to Kurt.

She knocked on the door three times. Silence. Then footsteps. One, two, three, four, five. Then the door opened. Carol. Rachel hadn't realized how much she had been missing this beautiful woman, until now.

"Oh hello, Rachel! It's so good to see you again! Come in! _KURT! RACHEL IS HERE!"_

Rachel stepped into the cute house. The smell of newly baked cinnamon buns and sweet perfume with a scent of flowers hit her like a familiar punch in the face. Kurt came down from the stairs, perfectly dressed as always, with that fabulous hippo brooch on his chest.

"Wait, is that all of your things? Where is the pink scene?"

"I figured I shouldn't bring so much stuff, so I only brought my pink travel bag, and left the other things in my dads' garage."

"Oh, that was… uh, not very Rachel-ish of you, but okay great!" Kurt said a bit confused, and brought her upstairs.

When they passed Finn's room in the long corridor, Rachel stopped for a second and just looked at the door, when suddenly the door opened and Kitty Wilde appeared in the doorway. Well, this couldn't get any more awkward.

"Your little brother seems to have invited his playmate, Finn." She shouted into the room. Finn looked out from his couch and just stared at Rachel for a moment and then he stood up and went fast to the door.

"What is this? What are you doing here? And WHY are you carrying your pink bag?" Finn sounded upset.

"Finn, calm down. Rachel will just live here for a few days before we both go back to NYC."

"Wait, you haven't told him about me living here, Kurt?!"

"I must've forgotten about it…"

"This is a joke…"

"Finn, please… I have nowhere to go!" All the four persons standing in Hummel's corridor was quiet for a while and then Finn just nodded and went downstairs with Kitty not far behind.


	6. Tik-Tok

**Chapter 6**

The next following 2 weeks were very difficult. Rachel and Finn tried their best not to be close or talk to each other, so they almost had to make up a schedule for eating/using the bathroom/watching TV etc. But today was the day when Rachel finally would get her paycheck from Breadstix, and this Sunday she and Kurt would fly back to the apartment in NYC again. She was so excited. She really felt new strength and power flowing through her veins. But Rachel was not going to run after Ms. Tibideaux anymore. No, she would make it to the big stages alone.

"Rachel! Come down here and listen to something!" Kurt yelled from downstairs. She went up from her camping bed in Kurt's room and ran down to the kitchen, still hoping she wouldn't meet Finn or Kitty.

"What?"

"Sam just texted me. He is back in town for a few days, and also Quinn, Mercedes, Britt and Santana! They want to throw a party at Britt's parents' place tonight!"

"Oh my god, that's exactly what I need right now! Tell him we are coming!"

"You know this includes spending time with Kinn, right?"

"Have you seriously come up with a ship name for them, Kurt? And… yes I know, but I really want to meet the rest of them, so I don't care…"

"Okay, as you wish!"

At 7 pm Kurt and Rachel entered Britt's parents' porch. Rachel could feel her butterflies fly around in her stomach, teasing her guts. She had known these people for so many years, and she had never been nervous about meeting them before. So why now? Maybe she was too scared about the fact that they will think stuff about her being a Lima loser again, without a carreer, without friends, and without a boyfriend. _Without a boyfriend._ That sentence set all the butterflies on fire, and she could feel how the tickling feeling in her stomach changed to a horrible pain. The door opened, and Rachel woke up from her thoughts. It was Santana. Well, it's better to get over with the sarcastic comment right away, rather than waiting for it all night…

"Well well well, if it isn't Lady Lips and the Returned Lima Loser! Welcome!" _Returned Lima Loser, well it could've been worse. I think…_ Rachel sighed and gave Santana a quick smile, and entered the house with Kurt.

Everyone was already there since Rachel and Kurt were late (maybe because Rachel decided to change dress 7 times until she finally chose the red one with white dots.). The music was on full volume and the speakers popped out a familiar song. _Don't stop, make it pop DJ, blow my speakers up Tonight, I'mma fight 'Til we see the sunlight. _

Rachel smiled when she remembered that music number they did, that unfortunately ended with puke all over the stage…

"Oh my god! Is it Rachel Berry my eye catches?!" Quinn and Sam hurried up to Rachel and gave her a big hug. Oh how she had missed them.

"Sam! Quinn! Wow, hi! How are you? What are you guys doing nowadays?"

"Uh, well I'm actually studying music and media at a pretty famous school in Florida, and Quinn are still studying at Yale. But enough about us, what are you doing? You are living in NYC, right?" _Ohoh… _There it was again. That pain. She could see how Quinn's smile suddenly faded and she gave Sam the evil eye. Quinn knew. Sam obviously didn't.

"Um, no I'm actually living at Hummel's right now... Uh, you know, before I'm going back to New York this Sunday."

"Wow! At Hummel's? Cool! So you and Finn have decided to move in together at last?" Quinn punched Sam and mimed _idiot!_, and he looked at her, very confused.

"No, me and Finn aren't… a thing anymore… I thought everyone knew since Kitty is all over him over there" Rachel said and nodded at the couple sitting in the sofa cuddling.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Rach… I didn't know…" Sam really was sorry.

"It's okay, Sam! Don't worry about it. Excuse me, but I really need something strong in my dry throat right now." Rachel went away with fast steps to the mini bar in the huge living room.


	7. Blame It on the Alcohol

**Chapter 7**

This wasn't good. She was wasted. Rachel Berry was wasted, and when Rachel Berry got wasted, she became the needy drunk. And right now, she really needed Finn. Finn was also drunk, and he usually became the loud drunk, shouting, laughing, or sometimes, screaming. She needed to ask him what the hell he was doing. This would probably be something she would regret tomorrow, but right now, she couldn't care less. Rachel walked over to the kitchen where Sam, Britt and Finn sat at the table and had a loud conversation about the hottest girls in Gossip Girl (wait, Finn watches Gossip Girl?).

"FINN!" Rachel could feel the tears burning behind her eye globes.

"Uh-uh, this can't be good…" Sam said and looked at Rachel with big eyes.

Finn slowly turned around and for the first time in days, he actually looked at her, but with a face that practically was screaming 'Whatever you want, I don't care'.

"What…?"

"'What'?_ YOU IGNORE ME FOR DAYS AND WHEN I TALK TO YOU, YOU SAY 'WHAT?'?! WELL, WHERE SHOULD I START? I AM SORRY. I HAVE TOLD YOU AM SORRY! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? KISS YOUR FEET? BECAUSE I CAN DO THAT! OH AND TRUST ME, I WOULD KISS THEM THOUSANDS TIMES BETTER THAN THAT OTHER SLUT." _Rachel screamed and cried so loud that someone had stopped the music, and suddenly everyone froze and just looked at Rachel and Finn. Just like at Breadstix. Did she always have to make a scene?! Well, yes, after all she was Rachel Berry. So there they were. In Britt's kitchen. 3 am in the morning. Drunk as hell, and Rachel angry as f*ck.

"Stop it Rach, you're making a fool out of yourself right now… Just walk away again and let us continue our conversation." Finn stood up from the chair, and he was irritated.

"What the hell is going on?! Rachel, leave him alone!" Kitty barged into the kitchen.

"I will tell you what is going on. YOU ARE INTERRUPTING SOMETHING AND I AM GETTING SICK OF TIRED OF YOU." And with that said, Rachel slapped Kitty in the face. Finn didn't move a muscle. He just stood there with a face made out of stone. Out of nowhere Kurt came and grabbed Rachel's arm, and tried to drag her out of the kitchen. But suddenly Finn shouted:

"YOU KNOW WHAT, RACHEL? I actually have something I want you to do for me. I want you to realize what an _ASSHOLE _you have been to me! In New York it was all about you you you. It all was about how _you _felt, what _you_ thought, or what _you_ needed. _WHAT ABOUT ME? YOU NEVER EVEN ASKED HOW I FELT ABOUT ANYTHING! _I'm tired of being the strong one. I am tired of always being the one to take care of people. But most of all, I am _tired_ of being taken for granted all the time! I say this to everyone, but _YOU RACHEL. YOU_, if anyone, should show that you care about me and my feelings about things at least once…" He paused, and everyone in the room looked at him. No one even dared to breath, because everyone knew how right Finn was. He was always taken for granted to be the one who cared about others.

"Finny bear…" Kitty tried to hug him, but he immediately pushed her away and screamed:

"_NO! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! _Oh and Kitty, I have no idea what you ever thought we had together, but I can ensure you that it's over. You're not my… Uh, type._"_ Then he kicked away the chair he sat on before, so hard that it broke when it hit the wall.

And with that broken chair he left the house, and ran to Kitty's unlocked car that was parked outside the house. He got into the car, and before anyone even realized what was happening, Finn drove away with a loud noise.


	8. No Signs

**Chapter 8**

Rachel, Quinn, Mercedes, Sam, Kurt, Kitty, Britt and Santana just stood there, looking at each other, no one capable of moving a muscle. How long did they stand there? 30 seconds? 1 hour? Rachel felt like it was an eternity, until Mercedes woke everyone up from their chock.

"We have to do something! He is drunk! And mad! This is insane! And why does Kitty even have her car here?!"

"I'm not drinking tonight…" Kitty said, and her voice sounded dead, which wasn't that strange since she just got slapped by Rachel, and left by her boyfriend, or what ever he used to be.

"Good, then we can take Brittany's parents second car, and go looking for him. You drive Kitty." Quinn said and went out to the hall to grab her jacket.

So there they were. Kitty, Quinn, Sam, Rachel and Kurt in Brittany's parents red range rover, looking for Kitty's blue Ford. Rachel barely dared to look beside the road, too afraid to see that blue car lying upside-down, in flames, or something. She thought about what he said before he left. _I'm tired of being the strong one. I am tired of always being the one to take care of people. But most of all, I am tired of being taken for granted all the time! _Has anyone ever asked him about his feelings? They all have been so used to just throw their own problems at Finn, that they sort of had forgot that he probably had problems too… They looked everywhere. At Kurt's &amp; Finn's home, at Mr. Schuester's place, outside of Breadstix. Everywhere. But he was gone. Everyone had been calling him constantly since he drove away, but his phone was turned off. Even Carol and Burt were out searching. When the clock was getting closer to 8 am, everyone went home to their houses exhausted, but at least sober (even if they all could feel a bad hangover coming).

"Rachel, it's not your fault…" Kurt lied down beside Rachel on her camping bed.

"But it is my fault, Kurt. You know it, I know it, and Finn knows it." They both were quiet for a while, and then Kurt said: "In times like these I think of our time at McKinley… All our small fights, diva offs, relationship dramas…" He laughed and rested his head on Rachel's shoulder.

"McKinley… OH MY GOD, KURT. I KNOW WHERE FINN IS." Rachel jumped up from her matrass in Kurt's room, jumped into her bunny-slippers, and ran down the stairs. Finn wasn't so far away after all, so Rachel grabbed Kurt's old bike that was standing beside the garage, and biked away faster than ever. Kurt ran after her screaming "Hey! Rachel! Are you really going to drive around in town 8:30 am in bunny-slippers?!" But she didn't listen.

15 minutes later she was there. Oh how she had missed this building. The building where she finally become someone. The building where she got her first friends. The building where she first met Finn. McKinley High. It was Saturday, but everyone knew the school janitor always forgot to lock his door, so Rachel could easily get into the school. The smell made her eyes tear up, and it wasn't just because of the strong smell of teen hormones... No, it was because she only had good memories connected to this familiar smell. But now she was going to find Finn. And she knew exactly where to go.


	9. High Pulse

**Chapter 9**

The butterflies that burned to death last night suddenly appeared in her stomach again when she was getting closer to the auditorium. So many times she had been walking these corridors, just to get to this place. Her heart started to hammer against her ribs in her chest. What if he wasn't here? But he had to. She could feel it. Just like Kurt said, _In times like these I think of our time at McKinley. _The doors came closer and closer. Rachel grabbed the doorknobs and opened them. The Auditorium was dark. No lights. No music. Nothing. Only the small windows up at the ceiling were letting some sun in. She almost missed the dark figure lying on the stage. Finn. She ran as fast as her tiny legs possibly could.

"FINN! Oh my god, thank god I found you!" She ran up to the stage and over to Finn, and grabbed his shoulders.

"Hey! Finn! Wake up!" Finn opened his eyes.

"Rachel… How did you find me?" Rachel was lying on his chest crying continuously and Finn laid his hand carefully on her head.

"We… have… been… so… worried, Finn! Don't you ever do that again!"

"See! This is what I mean!" Finn said and looked at Rachel, but this time he didn't have any sign of anger in his voice. Rachel sat down on her knees. She probably looked pathetic in her gold star-pajamas, bunny-slippers and red-cried eyes, but none of them cared about that. They just looked at each other for a minute. Then Finn continued:

"All I have ever wanted is someone to actually show for a second how much they care about me, or to realize that I'm not the only one who care. I am no super hero, Rachel. Sometimes my feelings need to get some comfort as well…"

"I know, Finn. We all realized that last night. You are right. We have always been taking for granted that you will be our leader, comfort and safe spot. But now we, and I, have understood even more how precious you are to us. We need you, Finn. But now I can see that you need us just as much. We, and particularly I, haven't been there for you enough. So please. Let me get another chance. I promise you I won't disappoint you!" Rachel laid her hand on Finn's cheek and looked into his tired eyes. He had been crying.

"Okay. Oh and Rach, I am so sorry for barging out, screaming and just taking Kitty's car like that… It's not like me, I just… I was drunk and I guess I wanted you all to understand that I meant what I said."

"I know, and trust me, we all got the point. We all have been so worried… But I totally get it!" Finn smiled and leaned over to Rachel and kissed her gently. Rachel started to giggle.

"What?" Finn said with raised eyebrows.

"You know what I just realized?" Rachel had a big smile on her face, and continued:

"It was on this exact spot we had our first date, and you kissed me. Now, 7 years later we are back here. Back to where we started. But this time you will not barge out of here like last time." Finn's face shined up in a grin, and then he gave her a bear hug, and they both breathed in each other's scents. Finn closed his eyes and said:

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"If you say so."


	10. Movie Night

**Chapter 10**

"Things are great here. Thanks to my boss at the café where I'm working, I'm now performing there every evening on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Finn is back at the acting school. Kurt and Blaine are still in NYADA, and things are going great for them as well!"

"_I'm so glad to hear that, Rachel. Me, Emma and Daniel are so proud of all of you. We truly are. Call me soon again, I don't want to miss out on anything! Bye, Rachel, tell the others I said hi!"_

_"_Bye Mr. Schue!" Rachel cancelled the call, and walked into the apartment.

"I'm home!" Rachel took off her red coat and walked into the living room where her three boys sat watching one of the Fast and Furious movies.

"How was the Schuester family? You were talking to him in the phone, right?" Kurt asked while he chewed popcorns.

"Everything was great! Daniel had just learned to walk."

Rachel smiled while she sat down between Blaine and Finn in their huge sofa. She thought of how her life had changed. Just 10 months earlier she had been living in Ohio, been broken up with Finn, and was totally lost in her life. And now, there she was, living in NYC with her boyfriend, her best friend, and his boyfriend. They all having good jobs or going to great schools. Rachel couldn't wait to see what the future was hiding, but she knew that it at least was bright. _The happily ever after couldn't possibly be any closer than this_, she thought and Finn laid his arm around her.

The End.

Good news! So I know I've said this fanfic will only have 10 chapters, but I'm thinking of continuing writing on it. But I will go on a hiatus for a while.

Oh, and thank you all so so so much for reading this short story, and thank you for all the support. It really helps me to keep going! :)

/ Emma


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